1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording and/or reproduction apparatus which executes recording and reproduction by way of dealing with a recording medium used for recording main data such as audio data and auxiliary data such as picture image information or character information. The invention further relates to a data or information communication system which is connected to this recording and/or reproduction apparatus and a data processing equipment such as a personal computer or the like via a data bus which conforms to a predetermined communication format.
2. Discussion of the Background
In terms of a recording and reproduction apparatus capable of recording and reproducing a music audio signal, there has been such a known recording and reproducing apparatus utilizing a recording medium composed of an optical magnetic disc capable of recording an audio signal with a digital format or a magnetic tape for example.
In the case of such a recording and reproduction system using an optical magnetic disc (being known as xe2x80x9cmini-discxe2x80x9d, trade-mark), not only enabling a user to record and reproduce an audio signal of a music piece as a program, but it is also possible to record a disc title (disc name) of this disc and a music title (track name) per program of the music piece being recorded as character information. For example, in the reproduction mode, it is so arranged that the disc title, the music title, and a name of artist, can be displayed on the display unit installed in the recording and reproduction system.
In this description, the term xe2x80x9cprogramxe2x80x9d is used to express units of audio data such as music pieces recorded on a recording disc as the main data. For example, audio data per tune makes up one program. In the description the term xe2x80x9ctrackxe2x80x9d express the same meaning as the term xe2x80x9cprogramxe2x80x9d.
A structure of the above-referred mini-disc(trademark) system comprising a recording domain enabling recording of auxiliary data accompanying the main audio data independently of the recording domain usable for recording the main audio data has been previously proposed. The auxiliary data domain enables recording of still picture image data and character data (including symbols and marks or the like) as well.
For example, even in any conventional mini-disc(trademark) system, it is also possible to record character information such as the disc name and the track name by way of recording them in correspondence with individual programs within the xe2x80x9cUser Table Of Contentsxe2x80x9d (U-TOC). However, inasmuch as the U-TOC itself is not composed of substantial capacity, as cited above, the U-TOC merely records such a character size corresponding to that of the titles.
On the other hand, by providing a domain for recording auxiliary data, not only character information, but it is also easily realizable to record picture image data such as a still picture image that consumes a large capacity, for example.
In the case of the above-referred mini-disc(trademark) system solely being capable of recording and reproducing audio data, it is so arranged that consumed recording capacity of audio data on the recording disc can be displayed via total recording time thus far spent. Accordingly, a user can be aware of the amount remaining for the disc recording, and yet, he can estimate amount of data (the number of programs) that can be recorded on the recording disc thenceforth.
Taking the above arrangement into consideration, when composing such a mini-disc system enabling recording of the main audio data together with auxiliary data, in order to promote utility of the mini-disc system, it is thus preferred that, not only the capacity actually consumed for the recording of audio data, but the capacity actually consumed for the recording of auxiliary data be also displayed so that a user can be aware of this.
In order to solve the above problem, the invention provides a recording and/or reproduction apparatus which is capable of executing recording and reproduction by way of dealing with such a recording medium usable for recording the following: main data comprising a single program or a plurality of programs; main data control information which controls recording or reproduction or editing operation pertaining to the main data comprising a single program or a plurality of programs; and auxiliary data comprising a single data file or a plurality of data files being independent of respective programs functioning as the main data; and auxiliary data control information which controls recording or reproduction or editing operation pertaining to the auxiliary data comprising a single data file or a plurality of data files.
The reproduction apparatus related to the invention comprises the following: a first capacity computing means which, based on the main data control information, computes consumed capacity of the main data corresponding to the capacity of the main data that is actually recorded on the recording means; a second capacity computing means which, based on the auxiliary data control information, computes consumed capacity of the auxiliary data corresponding to the capacity of the auxiliary data that is actually recorded on the recording means; and a display means which, based on the capacity of the main data computed by the first capacity computing means and the other capacity of the auxiliary data computed by the second capacity computing means, externally displays the main data recorded capacity and the auxiliary data recorded capacity.
According to the invention, by way of connecting a recording and/or reproduction apparatus to an information processing system via a data bus conforming to a predetermined format, a data communication system is provided, which enables mutual data communication between the recording and/or reproduction apparatus and the information processing system related to the invention.
The recording and/or reproduction apparatus is capable of executing recording and/or reproduction of data recorded on a recording medium usable for recording the following: main data comprising a single program or a plurality of programs; main data control information which controls recording or reproduction or editing operation of the main data comprising a single program or a plurality of programs; auxiliary data comprising a single data file or a plurality of data files being independent of respective programs for composing the main data; and auxiliary-data control information which controls recording or reproduction or editing operation of a single data file or a plurality of data files for composing the auxiliary data.
Further, the recording and/or reproduction apparatus according to the invention comprises the following:
a first capacity computing means which, based on the main data control information, computes consumed capacity of the main data complete with recording corresponding to the capacity of main data that is actually recorded on the recording medium; a second capacity computing means which, based on the auxiliary-data control information, computes consumed capacity of the auxiliary data complete with recording corresponding to the capacity of the auxiliary data that is actually recorded on the recording medium; and a display means which, based on the capacity complete with recording of the main data computed by the first capacity computing means and the other capacity complete with recording of the auxiliary data computed by the second capacity computing means, externally displays the main-data recorded capacity and the auxiliary-data recorded capacity on part of the information processing system.
According to the above-described structural arrangement, it becomes possible to externally display the consumed capacity of the main data and the consumed capacity of the auxiliary data via a predetermined display mode based on the main data control information and the auxiliary-data control information recorded on a recording medium. As a result, a user can visually be aware of the capacity of the recorded main data and the capacity of the auxiliary data recorded on the recording medium.
In another aspect of the present invention, a method for displaying the recorded capacity and the recordable capacity about the main data and the auxiliary data of the recording medium is disclosed.